Western United defender Angie Beard has conceded that she could turn down the chance to play for Australia in a World Cup on home soil with a potential eligibility switch to the Philippines on the cards.
Beard has won three caps for the Matildas, but under FIFA rules she isn’t cap-tied to Australia given all those games were friendlies.
As a result of her mother’s Filipino background, Beard was recently invited into a camp by Philipines boss Alen Stajcic.
The fullback says she has yet to make a call over which side she elects for when the World Cup kicks off in July.
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“I’m eligible for two teams at the minute and over the last 12 months I’ve been exploring both options,” she told AAP.
“The last time that I was getting called into the Matildas, I had conversations there.
“Then with Alan Stajcic, being head coach of the Philippines, I’ve also had some conversations with him as well.
I can’t really comment on it but I’m definitely pushing to be wearing a jersey of some kind at the World Cup this year.
If she opts to play for the Filipino national team, Beard would join Ally Green, Indiah-Paige Riley (both New Zealand) and Deborah-Anne De la Harpe (Ireland) in being an Australian-born player electing for other nations ahead of the World Cup.
But for now she is hoping to make an impact with A-League Women leaders Western United, who travel to face Newcastle on Sunday.
“It was a successful club with the men’s side and then with the women’s side we are trying to build that up,” she said.
“I love playing football, and I love winning and I’m happy to be back in Melbourne and playing with a bunch of girls that are super talented.”
Western’s game with the Jets falls in football’s pride round, with Beard happy to be a part of the initiative.
“Football, for me, was definitely a place where I could come and authentically be myself,” she said.
“The pride initiative is not trying to convince people or attack anyone else’s personal views, but it’s about bringing forward and shining a light on our experience in the community.”
